


Territorial

by velocitygrass



Series: Ever fallen in love? [28]
Category: Stargate Atlantis RPS
Genre: Established Relationship, M/M, Partner Betrayal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-05-02
Updated: 2008-05-02
Packaged: 2018-01-26 03:54:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,140
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1673738
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/velocitygrass/pseuds/velocitygrass
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>If that wasn't enough, now Joe's family was on set too. It wasn't the first time exactly, and he liked Joe's family despite the circumstances. But this was like an invasion of neutral territory to him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Territorial

**Author's Note:**

> Set during the shooting of The Kindred Part 2. Thanks so much to neevebrody for the beta! Note: Joe's family appears in this one.
> 
> This is entirely a work of fiction.

David felt antsy, and what was worse, he couldn't do anything about it.

Having Paul back on the set was bad enough. No, that wasn't the right word. It was great to have him back, but at the same time he couldn't help feeling bad that Paul was so fucking _grateful_ to be back, as if this was such an amazing gift and opportunity. They'd fired him for God's sake and then _allowed_ him to come back. For two episodes and maybe more if he was a good boy and it fit into their scheme of things.

David found it hard not to be a bit bitter about the whole thing, and to hear Paul so positive and understanding and trying to be professional just grated on him because it meant he couldn't just go and say, "God, I hate what they did to you, but it's good to have you back." Paul would probably defend the bastards.

If that wasn't enough, now Joe's family was on set too. It wasn't the first time exactly, and he liked Joe's family despite the circumstances. But this was like an invasion of neutral territory to him.

Joe was with them on weekends and during hiatus. He was theirs then. David had him for the few hours that they could steal away after they shot the show. And _while_ they shot it, things were in that wonderful state where David felt safe if not happy when it came to Joe.

Katherine called, but David had learned to walk away when Joe picked up the phone. That way, he could pretend that Joe wasn't somebody's husband and father while they where shooting. He wasn't David's on the set either, of course, but he didn't feel like he had to guard himself around him. He could steal a few touches and smiles and just bask in being around Joe.

But not today.

Joe's family surrounded him pretty much all the time, and it was understandable. The kids were excited, Katherine smiled indulgently, and David felt uncomfortable in more ways than one.

Watching Joe talk to her twisted something inside him in a way he hated. He almost resented how casually she held Fergus up to him and how she was just _there_ in Joe's space. And he hated that feeling because if there was one tiny little thing that he'd done right in this whole mess, it was that he'd never let his feelings for Joe touch Katherine and the kids.

He wasn't sure how, but he'd always managed to feel nothing but gratitude for how happy she made him. He didn't know if it was the sheer will to feel that way or his way of dealing with the guilt or simply that he couldn't associate anything that was part of Joe with something negative. Either way, he liked Katherine and didn't begrudge her what she had.

Except now that Joe was smiling at her, David had to force himself not to glare daggers in her direction. This shoot was draining enough. Rodney's anxiety over the whole Carson thing colored his own feelings, Paul's presence was exhausting in some ways, and he really just wanted to go to Joe and tell him about all of it because Joe would smile and understand and say the right things.

He'd pamper David, and that would be enough, but with Katherine and the kids around David felt like he had to walk on egg shells. It felt to him like the camera never stopped rolling. As soon as he stopped being McKay, he had to slip into the role of "David Hewlett, colleague".

He knew that he was being paranoid. After all it wasn't as if he'd ever grope Joe in public or do anything that would give them away. The most either of them ever allowed themselves was an ambiguous joke, and even then it was mostly about McKay and Sheppard and not _them_ , but still David felt the need to hold back and keep his distance.

He was watching his every step and look and gesture, and it was draining him in addition to everything else. Aidan and Truman were in costume now and joining their father, and David did his best to conjure up the same feeling of happiness for Joe that he always managed when they met outside of work or when Joe talked about his kids.

But dammit, they were invading _his_ space here, wasn't it enough that they had him half a year and on weekends too? He wasn't supposed to have to fight for his neutral time with Joe.

Joe suddenly looked over to him, and David schooled his face into a neutral mask. Then he saw that Aidan was looking at him too, and Joe gave him a little shove in David's direction.

David looked around, slightly panicked. But there was nobody and nothing else around, so Joe must have sent his son over to _him_.

For the life of him, David couldn't figure out why Joe would do that. He usually knew very well what went on in David's head, sometimes better than David himself, and now he was sending over his son when David just wanted them gone, gone, _gone_?

"Hey Aidan. I see you're ready for your close-up."

"There won't be a close-up of us," Aidan said, confused.

"Yes, I know it's just a figure of— Great costume!"

Aidan smiled, and it reminded David so much of Joe that it tore at his heart. "I know. They'll put some more make-up on too."

"Right, you have to look the part of prisoner... Well, imprisoned person."

"Yes. Um, Mr. Hewlett..." Aidan shifted from one foot to the other, turning around nervously, looking over to his Dad.

David looked up too and saw Joe make a go-ahead motion. He raised his eyebrow, then looked back at Aidan. "Yeah?"

"Dad said that you could maybe give me tips—on acting."

David frowned, because surely Joe knew better what to tell his son than _he_ would.

"Because you're the best actor around," Aidan added shyly.

David stared at him, then looked up at Joe. Joe looked back, not quite smiling, but there was amusement in his look as well as sincerity, apology, and love. It made David want to go over there and just pull him into a hug and kiss him—not even in a sexual way, although who was he kidding, the idea of kissing Joe never stayed platonic for long.

He suddenly realized that he was grinning goofily at Joe, but a quick turn to Katherine showed that she didn't find anything amiss and was in fact amused, so he turned back to Aidan, his heart lighter than it had been all day.

"Well, first you have to think about your character and the situation you're in..."


End file.
